Airship construction



Nov. 24, 1925. 1,562,434 C. P. BURGESS I AIRSHI P CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 28. 1925 "UN ITED STATES 1,562,434 PATENT o er-ms.

CHARLES 1?. BURGESS, O]? BETI-IEBDA, MARYLAND.

Application filed January 28, 39%.

To all 'w/ 'iom it "may concern.

do it lcnown that l Gimmes P. BURGESS, a citizen of the United States residing at l lethi' sda, Maryland, have invented new and useful l i'uproveincnts in Airship Constructions. of which the following is a specification;

This il'lVPIliQiOil relates to ii'nprovenienls in airship construction and more particularly to ;()i'if-Ptl'll(fljl0ll in bracing of the inner shell within which the gas hag is contained.

In hitherto known :iorms of gas cell. wirthe lift of the gas in a frame space between main and intermediate transverse fran'ies is transn'iitted by the wiring and the longitndinals to the main and intermediate frames in nearly equal proportions; and the greater part of the weight loads are either suspeiuled from the main frames or carried to them by the keel, so that the lift of the gas transn'iitted to the intermediate frames produces a rise and distortion of these frames with respect to the main frames; and there results an undesirable bending in the longitiulinal girders and large loads upon the shear wires between the main and intermediate frames.

In the present invention it is proposed to obviate the above mentioned objections to known methods by providing a system of gas cell retaining netting composed of wires of which. all or the greatest part slope upward from the main frames towards the intermediate frames, trimsmilting the greater part of the gas lift directly to the main frames. A secondary system of inclined or longitudinal wires or cord-age may also be provided, secured to the principal wires for the purpose of maintaining the correct spacing, and assisting in the support or restraint of the gas cells.

A further object is to provide a simple and praclical means for constructing and bracing the frame of an airship which will not involve ii'icroase in expense yet greatly increase the efficiency, strength and durability of the frame.

Other objects will he in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in connection with the accompanying sheetof drawings wherein is illustrated seiiii-- li:i rra1nmath-ally a small section of the frame with the bracing wires associated therewith.

In this drawing 1 indie; lies one of the intermediate transverse or circuinferential frame members extending entirely about the Serial No. 5,397.

airship while 2 indicates the main frames also extending entirely about the airship. 'rihese main fran'ies are connected by longitudiuals 3 at spaced intervals; and extending upwardly from the main frames towards the intermediate frames are a series of diagonally disposed cell retaining wires 41:. i'idditional brace Wires 5 parallel to the longitudinals may be employed.

Hwetofore it has been ci'istomary to arrange these hrace wires in cries-cross formation from one longitudinal to another.

'Uther constructions have involved circumferential wires parallel to the main and intermediate 'fl'lll'lGS. The theory of the pro posed in'iproved coi'istruction may he more readily understood by comparing this sys tem of wiring illustrated in this application with the former conventional diagonal mesh or circumferential mesh or system above mentioned.

in the present arrangement the tension in the inclined wires exerts downward forces on the intermediate transverse frames l with respect to the adjacent main fraules 2 thereby opposing the shear force which tends to lift the interi'nediate frames when the conventioual systems of wiring, that is. the diagonal crisscross or oircuinferential wiring;- is used.

it should be especially noted that whereas in the [manor conventional, construction no resistance to the lift of the intemnediate frames can occur until they have risen out of alignment with the neighboring main frames, in the present system of wiring the tension produced in the netting or bracing wires by the gas pressure resists the shearing force between the. main and intermediate frames even when there is no relative movement between them.

It follows that with the former conven tional construction there must always a distortion of the intermediate frames and consequent bending of the longilinliuals but with the present system the distortion and bonding are uacticafily elimii'iated.

it will thus be seen that by providing a construction as herein shown and desiicribed that is in which all or the ori-iater part of the gas cell. retinining wires o. end upwardly from the main frames to the interuualiate fran'ie, the ()lJjGtitlODS heretofore explained are elii'ninated. The amount of wiring; used is substantially the same and there is consequeuily little or no increase in the expense Ill) of manufacture and installation, yet a far more durable, reliable and eflicient construction is obtained.

What I claim is 1. In an airship construction, in combination With a main frame and intermediate frames, a series of gas cell retaining wires extending diagonally upward from the main frames towards the intermediate frame to thereby transmit the gas lift in greater part to the main frames instead of equally to the main and intermediate frames.

In an airship construction, in combination with main fra-n'ies and intermediate frames, longitudinal girders disposed at substantially right angles thereto, a series of gas cell retaining wires extending in a general direction from the main frames diagonally upward towards the intermediate frame,

thereby to transmit the gas lift in greater part to the main frames. instead of equally to the main and intermediate frames.

3. In an airship construction, in combination With main frames and intermediate frames, longitudinal girders disposed at subtantially right angles thereto, a series of gas cell retaining Wires extending in a general direction from the main frames diagonally upwards towards the intern'iediate frames, and additional Wires connecting the said diagonal Wires, thereby to transmit the gas lift in greater part to the main frames, instead of equally to the main and intermediate frames.

Signed at Washington. District of Columbia, this second day of December, 1924.

CHARLES P. BURGESS. 

